Bhangra dancers bring the tradition, culture

Saturday

The logistical choreography can be even more complex and demanding than the actual dancing.

The logistical choreography can be even more complex and demanding than the actual dancing.

Preserving and perpetuating their far-distant culture continues to be the purpose and reward for Benny Dhanda and his busy Stockton friends.

They're even adding a popular Canadian singer - Neal "The Prophecy" Chata - this time as they stage their second Notorious Bhangra competition today at San Joaquin Delta College's Atherton Auditorium.

"It's hard to get, like, everything done," said Dhanda, 18, the Stockton Punjabi Youth Alliance president who's leading the organizing operation with brother Rahul, 20. "It takes six or seven months to prepare. It takes a lot of effort.

"Especially in this economy. It's hard to get sponsors. We provide hotels, travel and food. It's hard to put on a competition."

They accomplished that so well in 2012 that their inaugural competition now is being used as an example.

"I was actually surprised," Dhanda said of the first Notorious Bhangra event that attracted an audience of 900. He's anticipating a capacity crowd of 1,428 this time. "We're already known on the Bhangra circuit. Everybody talks and blogs about Bhangra competitions in Cali."

Because those events - including Notorious Bhangra - cost between $30,000 and $35,000 to stage, "there are only a few left" in California. There once were 12. Now, it's only six, including Modesto-based Warrior Bhangra's competition that was held March 30 at Delta.

"It's a lot of stuff," said Harpreet Sandhu, 16, a Bear Creek High School senior who's been driving to airports in Sacramento, San Francisco and Oakland to pick up teams from New York; Toronto; Chapel Hill, N.C.; and other cities. "It's just good to see the teams perform and everybody being happy at the end of the day."

That's because these competitions generate increased interest and visibility for India's cultural traditions.

Initially, wheat farmers in Punjab province created the dances to express their gratitude and happiness after bountiful harvests. Full of color, motion, energy and enthusiasm, they became a demonstration of regional pride during the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan.

The original styles have been modernized a bit. The 17 teams and 290 dancers and musicians - between ages 17 and 25 - combine traditional and contemporary approaches. With and without rhythmic accompaniment.

The V-Dub Juniors, a group of 17- to 19-year-olds from Manteca, is competing as an exhibition team.

Chata, 24, who adds a distinctive element, "probably is one of the main singers in (Indian and Indian-American) youth society," Dhanda said. "He's well-known. Anybody who pretty much listens to Indian music knows him."

Dhanda said, "I've heard his albums but I've never seen him perform. It's his first time performing in this area. He sings traditional songs and a variety of songs. He's all over the place. Even hip-hop. It's hard to explain. I don't know who to compare him to."

Some of the updated dance routines are "based off gimmicks," said Dhanda, a Bear Creek High graduate who's been dancing since he was a child. "That's to attract kids of younger ages. Another team does magic tricks. Others change clothes to different colors. Some have LED lights on their clothes. During one, a person flew in. We don't know what's gonna happen until rehearsals."

Tradition will be preserved, though. The Dhandas and Sandhu said their parental - and older - generations don't disapprove of stylistic modernizations. That includes a diversity of dancers: "Sikhs, Caucasian, African-Americans," said Dhanda, who's studying to become an accountant at California State University, Stanislaus. "Anyone can join. It's a matter of seeing what they do best."

"They've been supporting me all along," said Sandhu, who has two younger sisters. "It means roots to everybody and, really, where they're from."